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Arizona Utilities Confident In Energy Supply Amid Record High Usage

The state’s largest electric utility is predicting record high usage for customers on Tuesday. Arizona Public Service says it is ready for a long hot summer.

APS says it prepares for the summer months year round, forecasting demand and planning accordingly.

APS Operations and Trading Manager Kent Walter says despite the extremely high temperatures, the company expects to be able to meet customer demands.

“We have a planning reserve margin that allows us to be resilient if forecasts come in a little bit higher than we anticipate," he said, "or if we were to have something happen on the system.”

Walter said while there are no plans to ask customers to conserve energy at this point, the utility offers programs that incentivize households to use less electricity.

Arizona Corporation Commission Chairwoman Lea Marquez Peterson says utility companies have assured the commission they have enough energy to provide services to customers throughout the summer.

She does not currently anticipate any of the utilities will ask residents to reduce their usage, but she says consumers can help the overall grid by using energy during off-peak hours.

"My best advice to ratepayers is to talk to their utility directly and ask about conservation efforts that could impact their home or their business," Peterson said.

Jimmy Jenkins was a producer and senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2014 to 2021.